Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!


From our family to yours!!
~Crosby, Rachel & little Gabby (our pooch!)...don't you just love the necklace the groomer gave her!?!?!? :)


May you be blessed beyond what you could imagine. ~Eph. 3:20

I'm not a beer drinker myself, but for those who are gluten free and enjoy beer, this is a sad finding.  Apparently due to new testing they're finding that some beers labeled "low gluten" are actually not!  So crazy!  Luckily the testing and labeling seems to be getting better and better, but man do we really have to stay on top of our research before consuming food/drinks.

For me, I will continue to stay away from beer...

Read on for more about the beer misinformation.
Some beer mislabeled...

Dr. Alessio Fasano

Check out this Q and A from Alessio Fasano, MD. 

Kinda crazy to think that Italy, which may be considered the "gluten capital of the world" is more advanced than the U.S. when it comes to understanding celiac disease!  I think we should move there...hint hint, hubby! :)  I remember reading that they get automatic tax breaks if someone in the family has celiac.  I've also read that they test for celiac for kids...starting at age 2 or 5!?!?  I'll have to double check that info. sometime and get back to you all.

But for now, here's the Q and A.

Enjoy!

So, I had a revelation at Sephora this week!  I was in the store doing some Christmas shopping when I thought I'd ask around about gluten free products they sell.  I've searched on their website, but to no avail...nothing was clearly labeled. 

I've been wearing Clinique makeup for the past two years, since realizing that gluten free cosmetics are just as important as food.  It's simple, how "careful" are you to make sure your makeup, shampoo, lotions, soap, etc. don't end up somehow, possibly in your mouth.  It's also been argued that products absorb through your skin.  Either way, I'd rather be safe than sorry and with so much that a Celiac, like myself, has to pay attention to it's best to know for sure that you're not purposely coming in contact with gluten throughout your day. 

But anyways, back to Clinique.  As I said, I've been wearing their makeup for a few years, but it's started to irritate my skin.  I've wondered about that, and decided I'd try a different brand.  There's many guaranteed "gluten free" products that I'm interested in trying, but many of them are not available in my area and sadly aren't being sold at Sephora. 

Luckily, Lassen's, a local health food store, sells some gluten free cosmetics.  I've purchased Ecco Bella lipstick in Claret Rose and Cafe au Lait and love them!  I've also recently tried Mineral Fusion's eye shadow trio in Fragile.  However, I've still been in search of a face makeup.  I thought I was at a loss while perusing Sephora until a wonderful stranger told me that her sister was gluten free and purchased all Nars cosmetics because they were gluten free!  Can I just say that I LOVE people who interrupt stranger's conversations to tell them information.  This wonderful lady just saved the day for me! :)  Hehe...yeah yeah, it's only makeup, but I was so excited!  I immediately got on my trusty Iphone to check out Nars websited and check THIS link out!  On their website, under their "customer care" section they insure that all their products are without gluten...can you say love!?!?  I immediately had the sales lady (conveniently named Love!) color match me and I bought some new foundation.  A few days in and I'm liking this product a lot! 

I'd still love to try some of the more organic products I've seen, like Afterglow Cosmetics, just to see how they fare, but for now I'm so happy to have found Nars!

Lastly, the million dollar question...what's YOUR favorite gluten free cosmetic product??  I'll be contacting many companies in the next few months to learn as much info. as I can so as to share it with my lovely readers!  Maybe I'll come across something you love, or will grow to love!?!? 

Ever have a splitting headache that just won't go away? 

I think I'd place migraines right up there with stabbing yourself in the eye!  Okay, maybe that's a bit extreme, but seriously having a migraine can ruin your day, if not your week. 

Today, while perusing Delight magazine's online health page, I came across the following article about a link between persistent migraines and Celiac Disease.  If you, or someone you love, suffers from migrains, check this out and see if a gluten free diet can help!

Going gluten free may seem like a curse, but when it's the difference between feeling like death and being able to function, you may reconsider. :)

Migraines and Celiac article

Ok, so I saw this headline that wheat paste is used in some wine barrels?  WHAT!?!?  NO!  Haha...I probably sound like a real wine-o, yet in reality I am more of a sipper.  I enjoy the taste of wine, but that's it, just the taste.

A good wine, like gewurztraminer (thank you google for the spelling) or moscato is just so yummy!  But seriously, you should see the wine glasses I bought us...my parents laughed because they were tiny glasses for hard liquor! Ha!

Anywho, back to this whole wine and wheat fiasco.  I did some further investigation of the article and this is what I found.  Gluten in Wine? article

I'm very curious about the findings here and the "maybe...possibly" presence of gluten.  I've never considered much about the idea of gluten being in my wine.  I always look the the bottle for any ingredients listed (as has become second nature when shopping), but I've never researched much beyond that.  I think it's definitely time I start.  Luckily, it will likely be a month before I sip another glass of wine, BUT I'd like to be sure I'm not poisoning myself as I do so.

So, a question for you...

Anyone have other findings on this issue?

Food restrictions?  Wait...you can't have WHAT!?!?!  Spell that for me please?

If you’re cooking for Thanksgiving, please be careful. Cooking fires are more likely to happen on Thanksgiving Day than any other day of the year, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
Here are a few tips and reminders:
• Keep materials that can easily catch on fire away from your stovetop.
• Never wear loose clothing while cooking.
• Remind children to never go near a stove or cooking appliance.
• Use the back burner whenever possible.
• Test smoke alarms throughout the house, but especially around the kitchen.
• Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen at all times.
• Never use a turkey fryer inside.

For many eating gluten free, or those facing other food allergies, a problem with dairy soon arises.  For me, the problem was short lived.  After being officially diagnosed Celiac, it was recommended to me by my gastroenterologist (tummy doc) that I avoid dairy for a few months and then gradually introduce the food back into my diet.  Luckily, that was all it took and my issues with dairy subsided.  I still have to be cognizant of my intake, but I don't have to avoid the food all together.

Many others are not so lucky.  For them, dairy is as big, if not sometimes bigger, a culprit as gluten.  And that means even more substitutions to insure a happy eating experience.  What I've found for those in this category (or those who are choosing to eliminate or decrease their amount of dairy) is this extremely comprehensive guide of dairy alternatives.  I hope this list leads you all to a happier dairy free baking/cooking experience.

Guide to Dairy Substitutes

I'm sitting here in Starbucks, drinking a delicious Vanilla Rooibos tea and contemplating the growling that is my stomach.  My lovely hubby is outside brainstorming with some friends about the best way to promote Christian concerts in town.  Needless to say, while he thinks away I need to do something about my tummy.

I thought I had this covered when I made us a couple of delicious quesadillas for dinner, but that was clearly not enough food for this girl!

Let me digress for a moment and tell you about those quesadillas.

• Brown rice tortillas
• Butter (softened)
• Shredded cheese (we prefer the light mexican blend from Trader Joe's)
• Sliced turkey meat (cut into small pieces)

Simply lather the outside of the tortillas in butter (mmm...organic is best!), turn them over, fill half with cheese and meat and fold in half to cook.  Warm a skillet on the stove, slap these babies on and cook away!  Delish!


However, clearly not enough when eaten while running out the door to get to a meeting (my hubby...outside).  So, now that brings me back to my current state.  Hungry and facing the options of Baja Fresh.  I hopped online and found this!  I'm happy to report there are quite a few options for food, but I was totally bummed to learn that the chips are cooked in the same fryer as gluten filled food! :(  Such a bummer as I was having a fattening chip craving!

Oh well, I'm thinking some beans and rice will do...

So...I'm loving being gluten free in 2011!  Seriously, for those who fought the disease 20 years ago, I can't imagine the struggle.


For us today...here's more news tips for gluten free Thanksgiving recipes.
Recipes from Washingtonian
Plant Based Recipes

Choosing the right gluten free flour(s) can be the difference between making the perfect gluten free dessert or bread and a disaster.  Trust me, I've attempted the "healthy" route of making pancakes with quinoa flour and peanut flour.  Both were a complete FAIL!  The smell alone was something I couldn't get past.   Both flours were so nutty that not even a heaping dose of cinnamon or vanilla in the batter could fix them.  I even attempted topping the cooked pancakes with an overwhelming scoop of berries and whipped cream.  Still...a FAIL!

With that being said, I'm hoping this extensive gluten free flour list will help you to insure your baking adventures will turn our more delicious and less disastrous!

This list breaks it down my baking/cooking desires from all-purpose, to thickening, to stuffing, baking and everything in between!

Gluten Free Flour List

Karina's New Cookbook

Karina Allrich, aka Gluten Free Goddess, has been blogging about gluten free food for six years now.  I've only been at this for less than six months, so I've definitely got a ways to go and I can only hope to offer you the plethora of gluten free information and recipes she has on her site.  Until then, I hope you will find the recipes in this book as enticing as I do!

Buy her ebook here!

Look no further!  Celiac.com is offering a comprehensive guide to insure that your feast is delightfully delicious!  They've got everything from tips on turkeys, to which bouillon cubes are gluten free, and even some great recipes such as PIES!! :-)

So get ready to cook and feast on a wonderful Thanksgiving fare!  Enjoy!

Here's the link one more time: Thanksgiving feast!

The latest Easy Eats Issue

Ok seriously, this new ezine, Easy Eats, has developed a special place in my heart.  I just went through their new issue and it is amazing!  If you haven't subscribed yet, wait no longer.  Not only do they have an incredible selection of recipes, but they've got snippets of a little bit of everything from face wash to gift ideas!  It's like a one stop shop full of amazing ideas!  I'm loving their homemade gifts for the holidays, you've got to check it out! Friends and family beware, you will likely be getting either a hot cocoa mix or a sugar manicure scrub!  Love it...hope you do too! :)

Now, beyond the magazine being amazing, the real reason I wrote this blog was to let you know about how generous and helpful the people at Easy Eats are.  They've got a Holiday Hotline set up to answer any and all of your cooking and baking questions.  You know, those questions that pop into your head as you consider how to best convert your favorite cookie recipe.  They can answer it!  They've got food experts from our favorites answering questions and giving tips all week long (I do apologize for not writing up this blog earlier this week, BUT it's not too late to get your questions answered).  So far they've been answering questions about stuffing, dessert, and things in between.  Such a neat way to help out the gluten free world!

Check out the information here to learn exactly how to get your questions answered.  Essentially they will respond to however you contact them, whether by email, facebook, twitter, or commenting on the link I just put titled "here!"

Have I mentioned that I'm so loving the Easy Eats people that it's now a dream of mine to some day work for them!?!?!  It is.  How will I do that?  I don't know...Easy Eats, are you reading this?? ;)

Who doesn't love a nice bowl of chili with some homemade gluten free cornbread?

The idea always brings me back to when I was younger and my dad would always eat cornbread with any meal he could. Maybe I'm thinking of the dad from Full House, who knows... hahahaha

But seriously, my dad loves this stuff!

Gluten free cornbread has to be one of the easiest things to make.



Here's what you'll need.

• 1 1/2 cups of milk
• 1/3 cup of melted butter
• 2 Eggs
• Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Cornbread Mix

1. Preheat oven to 375°
2. Grease 9"x9" non-stick pan
3. Mix together cornbread mix, milk, eggs and butter in a large mixing bowl.
4. Mix on low speed until blended.
5. Pour into a baking pan.
6. Bake for 25min

Check this out!  You know Udi's, the amazing maker of gluten free bread, bagels, muffins, cookies, hamburger buns...and the list goes on.  Well, they're hosting food sampling at stores ALL around the country for the month of November.  Literally, everywhere!  I know, because they're coming to our town...good 'ol Bakersfield, CA!

So, this is how it works.  Check out the link below (to their amazing blog!) and look for when and where they'll be in your city.
Udi's Store Samplings

For us Bakersfieldians (yes, we have our own name! hehe!) they'll be at Albertson's on November 12th from 11am-5pm.  Woohoo, I'm so excited to see what they'll have for my taste buds to enjoy!

Found this article online...thought it was pretty neat.  They've got a recipe for gluten-free gravy from Simply Organic!  MMM...


Many people are experimenting with gluten-free diets for a variety of other conditions, too. Whatever the impetus, if you or someone in your home is gluten-free this holiday season, you may be thinking about the fact that everyone's meals will be affected. How do you plan those celebratory meals and stay gluten-free? 


http://www.turnto23.com/health/25124496/detail.html


Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away!!

Nut Thins Crackers. Sounds odd, right? Oddly enough, ha, they're not. These crackers are surprisingly tasty and I'm finding that they go with a wide array of different toppings. I've had them with meat and cheese (salami and sharp cheddar please!), cream cheese, peanut butter, AND my latest Trader Joes find of almond butter with flax seeds. You can read more about that find below, but for now, just Nut Thins.

Ok, I'm pretty much obsessed with this new find from Trader Joe's.

Ready for a quick and delicious dinner?  You've come to the right place! 
I came across this recipe in the September issue of Easy Eats online magazine.  You've heard us rave about this magazine a few times now and we just can't say enough.  It's great!  There is so much valuable information and the recipes are just delicious!  I'm a recipe tester for them, so I've got a new recipe that I'll post after their next issue comes out.  But for now, let me tell you about these tasty chicken tenders.  They are good, and fairly quick to make. 

Oven-Roasted Chicken Tenders

• Gluten-free nonstick cooking spay
• 2½ cups gluten-free Corn Chex cereal
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• salt and pepper
• 1 large egg or equivalent egg replacement
• ¼ cup milk or nondairy milk
• 1 pound chicken tenders (or skinless, boneless breasts cut into thin strips)

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease a large baking sheet with cooking spray. In a food processor, pulse the cereal and dried basil, salt into coarse crumbs. Season with salt and pepper and transfer crumb mixture to a shallow dish or pie plate. In another shallow dish, whisk together the egg and milk.
2. Dip each chicken strip into the egg mixture to coat thoroughly, then roll in the cereal crumbs. Place on the prepared baking pan. Repeat with all the chicken pieces. Spray lightly with cooking spray and bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.

The excitement of anything chocolate and peanut butter is always a favorite desire in our household. But something that's both tasty as well as healthy is hard to find.

Rachel was of course in one of her moods, ya know, craving something yummy moods. (I think we're both always like that) Anywho so she decided to make some amazing chocolate peanut butter cups.

This recipe comes from Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet.

In her book, Alicia says "Back in the day, I was obsessed with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Now I make this healthier version and they are way better. In fact, I think they are the most ridiculously delicious things in the entire world. Look for graham crackers that are naturally sweetened or low in sugar (Health Valley makes a good one), and store the leftover crackers or crumbs in an airtight container for future use."

• 5 whole graham cracker squares (GF S'moreables)
• 1/2 cup Earth Balance butter (Unsalted Organic Butter)
• 3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter (preferably unsweetened and unsalted)
• 1/4 cup maple sugar or other granulated sweetener (1/8 with agave and 1/8 with organic sugar)
• 1 cup grain-sweetened, nondairy chocolate or carob chips
• 1/4 cup soy, rice, or nut milk (Organic Reduced Fat Milk 2%)
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans, almonds, or peanuts
  
  
  (Instructions)

1. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. (If You Care makes unbleached liners made from recycled paper.) We used a 24 cup mini muffin tin because of how rich these things are...
2. Break the graham crackers into large chunks and place in a food processor or blender. Pulse on and off until they are ground to fine crumbs. Measure out 3/4 cup of crumbs (reserve the rest for another use) and set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and maple sugar and mix well. Remove the mixture from the heat. Evenly divide the mixture, approximately 2 tablespoons per cup, among the muffin cups.

     5.   Spoon the chocolate evenly over the peanut butter mixture.


     6.   Top with chopped nuts. Place in the refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours before serving.


     7.   ENJOY!!!


Now we chose the smaller muffins because these bad boys are super rich, but OHH SO YUMMY! We put half of the incredible desserts in the freezer to save for a later day.

Have you tried these or anything else on our blog, let us know! We want your feed back as well!

Just in time for Halloween...a comprehensive Gluten Free Candy List!  From the traditional (and my tasty favorite) candy corn, to butterfingers, baby ruths, bazooka gum, m&ms (not pretzel!), marshmallow peeps and everything in between here a list to help you on your way.

Check out these lists and let them help you as you begin to make candy decisions for your family this year:  Gfreefoodie-Gluten Free Halloween Candy List
CeliacFamily-Gluten Free Halloween Candy List

Have a happy and safe Halloween!

Such a quaint little place in good 'ol Bakersfield, CA!  Located in downtown, they offer occasional raw food classes on Sunday's (seems to be about once a month)!  Can you believe it?  In Bakersfield!?!?!  Ok...let me compose myself so I can continue.  :)  I just can't believe that something like this is in our town?  I'm not a hard-core raw food eater by any means, and this just excites me!  I can't wait to go to one of their classes!

Here, let me show you what their facebook is advertising for this weekend:

• The menu for the class this Sunday is as follows: Limeade Slushies, Portabello Mushroom Burgers, Pineapple Coleslaw, Sweet-n-Savory Beet Chips, and Strawberry Softserve! The cost for the class is $20/person or $35/couple...begins at 3 pm. Please RSVP no later than Friday before 3pm! Blessings!

Doesn't it just sound fun?  Well, I'm not so sure about the beet chips, but I'd be game to try the other options (after, of course, verifying that they're all gluten free).


But what also excites me about this place are the nature (no pun intended...hehe) of the products they offer.  From gluten-free, to vegan, to vegetarian they offer many every day and specialty products.  There's also a rockin' juice bar (hence the store's name) that includes juices, smoothies, AND fresh daily raw/vegan desserts!  Woohoo!!!


Here's their facebook, so you can check them out for yourself.  
Nature's Food Market and Juice Bar

Mac and Cheese...a standard and easy comfort food for many, but does that comfort trasfer with the gluten free version? 

Trader Joe's has their own brand of Gluten Free Rice Mac and Cheese.  The box looks so happy with a smiley face made out of cheese macaroni.  I had high hopes.  Now, while I knew better than to expect the cheesy creamyness of Kraft, I couldn't help but hope for it.  A quick easy meal that satisfies some inner desire from childhood, who wouldn't want that?

As I continued cooking, my hopes remained high.  The process was simple, comparative to the original.  Boil water, add pasta, drain, add cheese sauce and milk.  DONE!  Would it be a success?

It looked good.  It mixed well together.  But was that enough?  Sadly, the overall conclusion would be no.  The pasta was al dente, and tasted fine, but the cheese sauce just didn't add that necessary element.  There is a certain nostalgia that comes along with Mac and Cheese and you can't miss it.  This final dish tasted cheesy, but not the right cheesy.  This was different, and a bit funky.  There was no smooth, creamy, melt in your mouth texture.  I just couldn't close my eyes and imagine being a 7 year old girl again.

However, it was decent enough that I didn't have to make another meal, so that was a plus!  And now begins my search for a delectable Mac and Cheese.  I do believe I will venture into the homemade world for this one!

From start to finish, I had a good feeling about these pizza cups.
1. I LOVE pizza.
2. My husband LOVES pizza.
3. The process didn't seem as long as making a complete pizza from scratch.


Needless to say, my hopes were high and these babies didn't disappoint.  We paired them with a nice green salad and just sat back as each bite was savored in our mouths.  Mmm...just writing about them makes me want to eat some more!  Seriously people, gluten free or not, if you like pizza you will love these pizza cups.  Pair them with extra marinara sauce and ranch!  Bon appetit!

Mixed together-looks funny!

Ready to bake!

*Courtesy of Easy Eats magazine



Pepperoni Pizza Cups


Preheat oven to 400 and generously grease a 12-cup muffin pan.

• 2 cups Gluten Free Bisquick
• 2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp. Salt
• 1 1/2 cups Pepperoni, chopped
• 1/2 cup Shredded Mozzarella
• 2 Eggs
• 1 1/2 cups Milk or Nondairy Milk
• 1/4 cup Pizza Sauce (*I used closer to 3/4-1 cup and in my opinion that added much more of a good "pizza" flavor)

PS-

It's SO fun!

Check this out!

There's a new gluten free ezine out there from Silvia Nardone, author of Cooking for Isaiah.

As I've mentioned before, I love breakfast.  Let me rephrase that, WE love breakfast!  My husband and I could probably eat variations of breakfast foods for every meal every day and it would likely take a few weeks for us to get sick of it.  From a simple bowl of cereal to an all out gourmet feast of eggs, bacon and french toast (with, of course, homemade strawberry sauce) we just love the stuff.

I have arrived!

Welcome to Food Free Friday.  Today's feature is...twitter!  That's right people, gfree_gal has arrived on twitter!!  You know what this means...more updates and tidbits of valuable information for living a gluten free lifestyle.  So please, join the fun and follow me @gfree_gal. 

Can't wait!!